Alarm circuit contactor



NOV. 24, 1931. I JAQQBSQN 1,832,905

ALARM CIRCUIT CONTACTOR Filed May 24, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l [IA/7M E ('I/fCu/T f/z Z76 7/207 (1Z8 [1. Jae/X15072 Nov. 24, 1931. o. A. JACOBSON 1,832,905

ALARM CIRCUIT CONTACTOR Filed May 24, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 24, 19 31 UNITED r STATES {PATENT orFicE .oLE A. JACoBsoN, E, GRA D RAPIDS, ICHIGAN, AssIeNoR, BY MEsNE Assre mENrs', To AMERICAN :oIsTRICT TELEGRAPH COMPANY, or JERSEY. CITY, NEw JERSEY, A

CORPORATION or NEW JERSEY A ARM CIRCUIT :CONTAGTOR Application fll ed. May 24,

' This invention relates to improvements in alarm circuit contactor devices, more espe* cially for bank protecting systems, and'the like, as disclosed in my co-pendingapplication Serial N o.v 53,768, filed August 31, 1925.

The purpose of this invention is to provide alarm contacting means arranged" for inadvertent operation by a robber, so that bank employees will not be required to make any.

movement whateverto give the alarm. In many instances the robber vaults over the partition in the bank room in order to reach the money tills and vaults. Accordingly, the main objects of this invention are to provide alarm circuit contacting means located on the copings of the partitions; to provide such meanswhich cannot beeasily detected and which will operate the contact whenever the top of the coping is depressed along any portion of its length; to provide such a device which is simple in construction,reliable in operation and not likely to get out of order over long periods of time; and to pro-, vide such a device which can be easily in stalled, and which will not detract from the ornamental appearance of the coping.

Illustrative embodiments, of this invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which A Figure 1 is a perspective View of the in-; terior of a banking room in which a contactor embodying this invention is'installed.

Fig. 2 is a diagram of the alarmcircuit. Fig. 3 is a cross section of the partition coping shown in Fig. 1. i l I v Fig. 4 is a fragmental plan view of the coping shown in Fig. 3, with portions broken away. 1 .1

F ig.5 is a fragmental perspective view of the same.

Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 area fragmental plan and a transverse section, respectively, of a coping having an all-metal construction.

Referring to'the form of wooden construction shownin detail in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the upper surface of the coping 1 is provided with astrip 2 which extends along the front edge of the coping and forms a shallow recess for the sheet metal contacto'r plate 4. The rear edge of the plate 4 is fastened rig- 1928. Serial No. 280,234.

idly to the coping by means of a row of wood screws 5, andthe plate is bent near the rear edge so that the front sideofthe plate tends to spring up away from'the upper surface of the coping. The front edge of the plate 4 has a narrow marginal flange6 which projects downwardly behindthe strip 2; and the height of the front edge of the plate is regulated by. set screws 7 which project through holes in the mid portionof the plate and are. screwed into the coping until .the heads of the screws are atthe-proper height so that the front side of the strip can yield slightly when pressed.

The circuit contacts coping, underneaththe strip l and maybe of the type for closing a normally open circuit,or for opening a normally-closed circuit. For closing. the circuit, abar 8 is secured to thecoping alongside the strip 2, andscrews 9 areifastened alongthe length of the-plate directly over the bar, with the ends slightly spacedfrom the bar when the plate isin its normal position. The bar'is connected to one side of the signal circuit and theopposite" side of. the circuit is grounded tothe plate 4 so that the circuit is closed when any portion ofthe plate is dispressed until one of the screws 9 touches the bar 8. two spaced contact fingers lOand 11 which are mounted in fixed spaced relation on the top of the copingwith their ends normally in contact. A. set screw 12 is secured inthe are mounted onthe The breaker'contact'consists of plate vimmediately above the outer endof the lower contact linger 11 which projects slightly beyond the upper finger. vWhen the plateis depressed, the end of the screw 12 forces the end of the lower contact finger 11 downout of contact with the upper finger.

In the all-metal construction shown in Figs. 6' and 7, the body portion 1401? the coping is formed by a sheet metal strip which is .bent up and backat one side to form the front portion 15 and the'inwardly projectingflange-lti at "the upper edge of the front portion. The cover 17 is in the form of an inverted: channel section, the edge of the inner leg 18 of the section being hinged to the rear edge of the base member 14, and the lower edge of the front leg portion 19 being bent inwardly to abut against the surface of the edge portion 15. Insulating blocks 20 are mounted at intervals underneath the flange 16 which carry the insulated circuit contacts 21. The front edge of the cover member 17 is supported by plungers 22 which are slidably mounted in the blocks 20 to project through suitable holes in the flange 16 and to bear against reinforcing strips 23 which are secured to the inner side of the cover member 17 The plungers are pressed upwardly by means of springs 24 which are seated in the blocks 20 so that the front side of the strip is normally in a slightly raised position. A bell crank member 25 is pivotally mounted in each .block with one end engaging theplunger. 22 ,andthe opposite end being positioned in engaging relationwvith the contact member. 21. When the top member is depressed, Contact ismade fromthe sheet metal of the top.me mberthrough the reinforcingv strip 23, through the metal plunger 22, and the bell;crank member 25 tothe insulatedcontact 21; The upward movement of the strip 1-7,-is-limited by means of the rods.26 which are. spaced alongthe. length of. the coping. The rods 26 thread into-the base portion14 andare providedwith a head at the upper ends. which engage with brackets 27' which are welded to the. reinforcing members 13. In the .signal circuit shown in Fig. 2, the plate 4 is. connected by a line 30 to the line 31 which. is connected tooneside of the battery 32, andthe bar'8. is connectedto the line 33 which is connected by. the wire 34.to-,the wire 35, which is connected to one terminal .of each of the bolt. operating mag: nets36, 37, 38 and39. The. opposite terminals, of-.saidmagnets are connected-by the line .40 through the switch 4lzto the battery lead 31 andmidportionsot said magnets areaconnected by the wires. 42 to the batteryawire 43 which is connected to the opposite terminal. of the batter 32. Other contacting devices 45, 46..an 47 are also connected-betweenthe lines 31 and 33,: as is more fully described: in the application referredto, above, and an alarmcircuit 48 is-shownassociated with the magnet 39.

Inoperation, the, manual control switch 41 is normally open and the. plate 4 is raised out. of contact with the bar 8. When the plate. 4; is depressed, the battery 32 is. connectedfromthe-line 31, plate-4, bar 8, line 33, to one terminal of the operating magnets 36, 37 38 and;39, the intermediate portions of which are connected to. the opposite terminal of the battery 32 by means of the wire 43. This operates whatever devices are connected to the magnets a well as the alarm circuit.,48.. As soon as pressure is removed from the plate 4, it springs away from the 7 bar, breaking the energizing circuits. The

various devices may then be restored by closing the hand operated switch 41 to energize the retracting portions of the electromagnets which are included between the lines and 43. Obviously the .deviceis well concealed, andthe person touching the contact-strip would hardly be aware that he has caused the alarm, since the yielding movement of-- the strip 4 of'the covermember 17 which corresponds thereto, is very slight.

Althoughbut one illustrative embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit ofthis invention as defined by the following claims.

Iclaim;

. 1. In combination with a Partition coping 5 a longitudinal member forming the top of said coping; said member being formed of spring conductive material and having a rounded front edge projecting above the top of the-coping proper and simulating. acontinuation or part. of the ornamental face of said coping.

2. In combinationwith a partition coping, a member formed of spring conductive material arranged to form-the top of said coping lating part. ofthe ornamentalface of said coping.

. In combination with .a partition .coping, a member formed of spring conductive material and adapted to formthe topof said coping, said member being securednear its inner. edge to said coping andbent toform throughout its length and the length of said coping aspring tongue,..the free edge of said tongue, being depressible and formed into a downwardly directed marginal, bend, the bend projecting above the top of the coping andsimulating part or continuation. of the ornamental face thereof.

4. In combination with" a partition coping, a conductive member adapted to form the top ofsaid coping, said member being anchored to said copingalong its rearedge, itsforward edge being yieldingly elevated and rounded to simulate a part. or continuation ofthe ornamental faceof said coping.

5 Incombinationwith a partition coping, a plate member of conductive material forming .a/false. top forsaid coping; said member being anchored to saidcoping near the rear edge thereof, its forward edge being depressible and normally above and spaced from the top of the coping proper, and being formed longitudinally to simulate a part or continuation of the ornamental face of said copinlg. p

6. device for attachment to the copings of counting house-partition consisting of a base member extending the length of'said coping and having a unitary front wall and a backturned flange, plungers operating through said flange, bell-crank contact pieces, each rockably mounted with one arm beneath said plunger, a spring beneath and in contact with said arm, contact pieces located in the path ofswinging movement of the other arm of each of said bell-crank contact pieces, a conductive plate hinged tot-he base plate and resting on said plunger-s, the

front edge of'said plate being formed to simulate a part or extension of the ornamental face of said coping, and means for limiting the movement of said conductive plate.

,7. A device for attachment to a partition coping, a basemember having a front wall, a conductive plate depressible from a point of attachment to said base member at its rear edge, said plate and base member extending over the width and length of said coping, the front edge of said plate being formed tovprovide a bead-like extension to simulate in connection with said front wall a part or extension of the ornamental face of said coping,

and yielding means for supporting the front edge of said conductive plate.

8. In combination with a partition coping, a plate member adapted to form the top of said coping, said member being anchored to said coping along its rear edge, its forward edge being yieldingly elevated and rounded to simulatea part or continuation of theornamental face of said coping.

Signed at Grand Rapids, this 21st day of May1928. OLE A. JACOBSON. 

